Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/16/002 A

Address :
Malone Golf Club 240 Upper Malone Road Belfast Co. Antrim BT17 9LB

Townland:
Malone Upper

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Recreational Club

Former Use
house

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
Yes

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
146/16SE

IG Ref:
J3127 6740

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay, two-storey former country house with attic, built c.1835, extensively altered c.1875, converted and extended for use as a club house for Malone Golf Club. Located within the grounds of Malone Golf Club on the east side of the Upper Malone Road. Rectangular plan with central full-height canted bay; modern single- and two-storey extensions to the north, east and south. Pitched natural slate roof, hog-back ridge tiles and rolled leaded hips over central bays to west (over canted bay) and east (over staircase). Ashlar dormers having profiled sandstone gables. Concealed lead-lined parapet gutters, replacement uPVC hoppers and downpipes from raised parapets. Three ashlar sandstone chimneystacks with moulded copings. Walling is coursed quarry-faced basalt, ashlar sandstone quoins and copings. Moulded sandstone finials to gable apexes and corners. Ashlar sandstone walling to western corner of single-storey extension with blind moulded sandstone shields between window openings; that to north of west elevation bearing the Montgomery family crest. Largely square-headed window openings, flush chamfered ashlar sandstone block and start surrounds with hood moulds; openings to first floor with quarry-faced basalt relieving arch over. Windows to flanking bays at ground floor set in tripartite canted bays with moulded sandstone mullions. Replacement uPVC casement windows throughout. Principal elevation faces west, with central two-storey canted bay having pierced sandstone parapet punctuated by a central dormer. Right and left bays each have a canted bay to ground floor, with three windows aligned above, and a central attic dormer. North gable is abutted by a contemporary single-storey extension with pitched slate roof, fully glazed to west. There is a window to first floor, and a smaller window to attic. Rear elevation is largely abutted by a series of extensions, connecting to the stable yard (HB26/16/002B); mix of pitched natural slate and modern flat roofing; generally uPVC rainwater goods and basalt walling with sandstone dressings. Walling facing onto internal courtyards in this area is generally comprised of engineering brick. South elevation is asymmetrical, having a double-gabled profile; section to left is wider and taller, having a pair of replacement French doors with overlight to ground floor, and a window to first floor and attic; section to right has principal ground floor entrance comprising replacement double-leaf timber half-glazed panelled doors with glazed toplight bearing crest of the Malone Golf Club. First floor has a sandstone oriel with corbelled base and offset roof, with an attic window over. To right of the main gable is a projecting extension c.1880, spanned by sandstone balustraded parapet; to left side is a three-centred-arched opening with hoodmould, infilled with a window, and a large picture window to its right. Setting Located within extensive grounds of Malone Golf Club on the east side of the Upper Malone Road, the former Ballydrain demesne. Entrance from Upper Malone Road flanked by replacement quarry-faced basalt walls with rubblestone basalt copings and gate piers, circular in plan. Two original ashlar sandstone gate piers, square in plan, remain east of modern entrance piers. The building is accessed via a long, tree-lined tarmacadam driveway. The principal elevation overlooks Ballydrain lake. A carpark is located south west of the house. The primary entrance is accessed via a set of wide sandstone steps leading to a sandstone flagged platform with moulded sandstone balustrades. An accessible ramp is located to the west. A walled garden, now containing a bowling green, abutted by a ruinous gardener's cottage (HB26/16/002C) are located south of the house. Materials Roof: replacement natural slate RWG: uPVC Walls: basalt and sandstone Windows: uPVC

Architects

Blore, Edward

Historical Information

Replacing an earlier house, the current house was built c.1835 to the designs of Edward Blore. The first edition OS map shows that the original house was located south west of the current building. The house and lands, owned by the Stewart family, were purchased c.1835 by Hugh Montgomery, director of the Northern Bank and son of one of the bank's founders. Montgomery demolished the old house and employed Edward Blore to design and build a new one. The Montgomery family moved from a house on Royal Avenue, later to become the Royal Hotel and now the site of Queen's Arcade. The second edition OS map and a photograph dated 'Pre 1876' shows that this house comprised of a primary block with an M-profiled pitched roof located to the west with an L-shaped rear return extending to the east forming a small enclosed courtyard. While appearing rather plain, the appearance of the house was enhanced by a wide array of tall Tudor chimneystacks, balustraded parapet and dormers to the primary west elevation and decorative canted oriel over the segmental pointed arched entrance to the south elevation. Blore also designed a gate lodge located at the head of the long avenue leading to the house from the Upper Malone Road. The house passed to Hugh's son Thomas and then to Thomas' son Captain John Ferguson, who died in a racing accident c.1867. The house then passed to Captain Ferguson's brother, Thomas Montgomery, another director of the Northern bank who moved to Ballydrain with his wife Isabella Montgomery (nee Walker) and their four daughters from a house named 'Maryville' on the Malone Road. Ballydrain House proved to be too compact for the needs of Thomas and his family, and the house was extended c.1880. The courtyard was filled in by a new two-storey gabled block containing a ground floor billiard room and a first floor bedroom. A new entrance was also provided along with an arcaded sandstone porch with a moulded stone bearing the Montgomery coat of arms. A bathroom was also provided at this time as the house did not have one, bathing facilities prior to this consisting of manually filled tin baths and wash basins. A new conservatory, reminiscent of the Palm House in the Botanic Gardens, was added to the east. There is some confusion surrounding who is responsible for these designs, with a note made on a photograph dated 'after 1876' attributing the alterations to Thomas Drew, while a set of drawings dating from the time are clearly signed by architect W.H.Lynn. As these drawings contain detailed plans of the new conservatory it might be the case the alterations to the house were carried out by Drew and the conservatory by Lynn. Unrealised plans for a new gate lodge by Lynn for a site which would eventually be occupied by a gate lodge designed by Drew lends weight to the idea that these alterations were executed by both architects. This is further reinforced by the fact that Drew worked in the office of Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon. A walled garden was established to the south of the house, used to cultivate fruit and vegetables, with some flower beds dedicated to the growing of flowers for the house. The garden wall were abutted to the north east by a single-story gardener's cottage. Later, Thomas' wife Isabella established a 'flower garden' to the south west of the house, "an oval shaped piece of ground laid out in formal beds" apparently on the site of the previous Ballydrain House. Thomas Montgomery died in 1909, leaving the house to his wife Isabella. When Isabella died in 1917 the house passed to Thomas' nephew Captain Hugh Montgomery who sold the house for £18,000, ending almost a century of Montgomery ownership of Ballydrain. The valuation revisions of 1919 record the occupier of the house as a John B. Morrison. The house remained in private ownership until 1961 when it was bought by Malone Golf Club for the price of £90,000. The estate at the time was owned by a Maynard Morrison, possibly a relative of John. Malone Golf Club was established in 1895. Originally located in Stranmillis, the club then moved to the Harberton estate c.1915, possibly the current location of Balmoral Golf Club. After a fire in the clubhouse in the late 1950s the decision was made to move to the Ballydrain estate. The club greatly altered and extended the house over the course of the late twentieth century. Immediate works, as noted in a history written c.1976, appear to have been the removal of the distinctive tall Tudor chimneystacks and ballustraded parapet to the west. The gate lodges, one by Blore c.1835 and one by Drew c.1880, were also demolished around this time. The 'flower garden' became the site of the club's car park. The interior of the walled garden became a series of tennis courts, later converted for use as a bowling green. In 1972 an IRA bomb caused significant damage to the club house, resulting in the removal of the billiard room block added c.1880. This has now been replaced by a single-storey, flat roofed extension. The arcaded entrance block remains, although the openings are now glazed with the primary entrance being moved back to it's original location beneath the canted oriel window, albeit considerably widened and more plainly detailed than the original segmental pointed arched opening. A series of large extensions executed in sympathetic materials now join the house to the stable yard to the east. A less sympathetic extension in stone, glass and painted render was added to the north c.2003. Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/64/1 First Edition OS map (1832) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/64/2 Second Edition OS map (1859) 3. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/15E General Valuation of Ireland - General Revisions (1892-1897) 4. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/15F General Valuation of Ireland - General Revisions (1898-1908) 5. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/15H General Valuation of Ireland - General Revisions (1917-1928) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/15J General Valuation of Ireland - General Revisions (1928-1930) 7. PRONI D2460/19 History of Ballydrain by Hugh Crawford, 1976 8. PRONI D1954/6/52 Map of Ballydrain, c.1843 9. PRONI D1954/7/2 Bundle of plans of Ballydrain House, c.1880 10. PRONI D2460/9 Photograph of Ballydrain House, c.1875 11. PRONI D2460/10 Photograph of Ballydrain House, c.1850 12. PRONI D2460/11 Photograph of Ballydrain House, c.1918 13. PRONI D2460/12 Photograph of Ballydrain House, c.1918 14. PRONI D2460/17 Photograph of Ballydrain House, c.1918 Secondary sources 1. Dean, J.A.K 'The Gatelodges of Ulster: a Gazetteer' Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994 Online sources 1. DIA (http://www.dia.ie/architects/view/516/BLORE-EDWARD%23) 2. DIA (http://www.dia.ie/architects/view/1650/DREW-THOMAS%28SIR%29) 3. DIA (http://www.dia.ie/architects/view/3282/LYNN-williamhenry) 4. Archiseek (http://archiseek.com/2013/1838-ballydrain-co-antrim/)

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Malone Golf Club House occupies the former Ballydrain House, a substantial three-bay, two-storey country house in a loose Scots Baronial style. Built c.1835 to designs by noted architect Edward Blore, best known for completion of Buckingham Palace - including design of the iconic façade - following the dismissal of John Nash. The house is, however, characterised by extensive alterations of c.1875, by well-known local practitioners Thomas Drew and W.H.Lynn, and was further extended in piecemeal fashion to accommodate its new use over the course of the late 20th century. There is some historic and architectural interest in the outbuildings located to the east (HB26/16/002B), the gardener’s cottage and walled garden to the south (HB26/16/002C) and the setting of extensive landscaped grounds of the Ballydrain demesne remains. Nonetheless, substantial alterations that include removal of the tall Tudor chimeystacks and balustraded parapet (removed in the early 1960s), extensive internal remodelling and wholesale window replacement have had a major impact on the character of the building to such an extent that it does not meet the criteria for special interest.

General Comments

This record has been re-numbered and was previously HB26/16/002

Date of Survey

21 February 2017